I built a new PC for my daughter after a successful similar build for my sons. The hardware,MOBO- Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3CPU - AMD FX 4100 Quad core 3.60 GHzRam - 2 sticks ea 4 GHz Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer DDR3 PC3-14900GPU -EVGA Ge Force GTX 460 I GHzPSU - Antec 650 Watt.OS - Windows ,7 64 bit After the initial install of the Operating system, things started to go from a few glitches to real bad and worse. My first mistake which I corrected in the BIOS was that I accidentally selected the DVD as the 1st boot choice but the one I accidentally chose was the DVD option with EFI. I received a error message when the software was about 75% done. I went back in the BIOS and selected the DVD as 1st then Hard drive as second. Then re loaded the Windows install disk. I walked away, then my daughter told me another error message popped up. I took a cell phone picture of it to Google but the camera never took the shot. Needless to say I don't have the exact info on the error but it said something to the effect of a "offline" something or other was not and that's all I can remember. not much help there. I clicked the OK button and it seemed to load and finish. The main windows Start screen or desktop appeared. I then tried to load the Gigabyte Chip-set drivers and so on Video card etc. I noticed right way that the response time was extremely slow when I would try and open a folder from the Gigabyte driver disk. I also know I had no internet connection showing even though I still had not installed any of the vital drivers yet this might be normal. I went back into the BIOS to review some of the settings and then it never went back to the desktop. Even when I tried in Safe mode. Just a black screen with a Cursor appeared. Not a blinking Cursor. Then I would restart and not even the Cursor would show up and I could not get into the BIOS until I swapped Video cards to a spare one I have only 250 GIG PCIe 1.0 I did get back into the BIOS whether coincidence or due to the card swap I am not sure. The EVGA card I must add was in another build that had a MOBO that was new with bad Caps. ( Could it have gotten trashed by the bad MOBO?) That terrible story is in another thread on this forum.viewtopic.php?t=209400Any way now I am trying to get thing to run and I do not know if it is a hardware problem or just a botched install from the get go and went downhill fast. If so, should I reformat the hard drive, if so can I do it from the BIOS screen or I can just take if off and use a hard drive reader and hook it up to my PC and just erase every thing format and try again. Or any other advise to help with this black screen and other methods to try and tackle this. I have Google d this and it seems common but I couldn't get any results.Thanks

Thanks for the response and replies. I downloaded the Ubuntu file to burn to a image. I will start trying both of your troubleshooting advice tips this weekend due to my work schedule. I will post my results, findings. Thanks again

I waited till this weekend to begin troubleshooting. First, I was able to reset to the BIOS settings to "Optimized Defaults" .There is a paragraph in the Gigabyte hand book that also says if a failure to boot exists that the CMOS can be cleared and I did that too. I ran Memtest 86. It ran OK and no errors came up. I tried the Ubuntu disk. I had a problem getting it to even start or show a welcome or setup screen. (I ran Memtest 86 from Ubuntu) I could not always get this main install screen to always load. I always got a black and white rectangle checker pattern on the screen. When I finally did, I selected "run from memory" but still nothing, no setup steps prompting me to proceed. So I tried something not to common but I removed the hard drive. (Not a solid state, 1TB Seagate Barbuda) I hooked it up externally with a power a SATA cable to my PC. I went to disk management and initialized it. I then formatted it twice to erase everything to start over. I reinstalled in the case. I re loaded the Windows 7 disk. Evey thing started to load and seem to work. No error codes during the install. Everything seemed normal and fine. I then inserted the Gigabyte driver disk and I was able to run it in Auto-run and a normal start up screen popped up, (it did not the first time) I began to load the 1st set of Chip-set drivers and so on. Then about halfway through the install, the installing process seemed to stop. The light blue "spinning circle icon" appeared, like timing out or not responding, Then it shut down on its own. I attempted to re start and that when the never ending "Start up Repair" window came up. After every time I selected repair, It did not fix the problem. I then loaded the Windows 7 disk back in the DVD tray to try a "repair installation option. It would not on the first few attempts. I got the error message pop up box that said "This version of System recovery is not compatible with the version of Windows you are trying to repair. Try using a recovery disc that is compatible with this version of Windows." Now it gives me a option to choose System Recovery options to try and repair. I did the memory test. No errors. I am now ruining the "Start up Repair" option again but this time it seems to be running longer, before it gave me a fast unable to repair answer. It is currently running now 10 minutes. There are also other options on the System recovery options. Command prompt is one of them. System Image is not a option, I did not save a image nor is System Restore as there is no good previous restore point. My next try or attempt will maybe to try the Ubuntu disc in memory or try to run it, The Windows desktop made a brief appearance before the Start up repair box appears. Now the PC will not boot past the POST screen and asks for a "insert boot media to boot from the Windows disc and hit any key. That is what I have now trying to repair.

I will take that into serious consideration. The memory test was good no errors. I tried 2 Video cards. The Start up repair is still running. 3 hrs. and still going in circles. I may just shut it off and try the Ubuntu disc in Memory if I can again and tomorrow call New Egg for a RMA.

I tried the Ubuntu disk. I had a problem getting it to even start or show a welcome or setup screen...I reinstalled in the case. I re loaded the Windows 7 disk...I then inserted the Gigabyte driver disk and I was able to run it in Auto-run and a normal start up screen popped up, (it did not the first time) I began to load the 1st set of Chip-set drivers and so on. Then about halfway through the install, the installing process seemed to stop. The light blue "spinning circle icon" appeared, like timing out or not responding, Then it shut down on its own.

LatiosXT wrote:

I'm just going to point the blame at the motherboard.

I agree with Latios - it sounds like there's an issue with the motherboard.

I would strip down to a minimal build (you'd have to remove the MB anyway) outside the case: CPU+MB+HSF+1 stick of RAM+PSU+USB flash with Ubuntu on it. Video card only if onboard video unavailable (which in you case it is unavailable). Monitor+keyboard+mouse. No drives. Insulated surface. Boot from USB.

This rules out a lot of possible parts and shorts to case. If it still fails to readily load up Ubuntu LiveCD on a USB then I'd consider contacting either the retailer you bought it from or the MB maker for an RMA. Have everything you have done and the symptoms and parts standing by for them to read.

If it does boot up then add one component/peripheral back at a time until things fall apart.

Last edited by FascistNation on Sun Dec 08, 2013 3:33 pm, edited 3 times in total.

OK it is striped down out of the case. I am running the Ubuntu disc. It seems to run. I gave the Ubuntu disc one more shot before the tear down. It also ran in the case too Before I tore the rig apart. Previously it did not nor sure why. I also did a disc check test before I was asked to run or try Ubuntu without installing. I did , no errors. Do you think I have a bad or bogus Windows 7 disc. I purchased 2 from Fry's at once. One is running on my boys other PC same build except for the GPU and Power supply. I have another around I mean I could try my boys Windows 7 disc, wipe the hard drive or Format it then try the other disc, do you think? it is worth a try?

I was getting ready to try the other Windows disc as Nasty suggested, I removed the HD from my daughters PC. Hooked it up to my PC to format, 1st tried to initialize it in disc management got a weird error "data error cyclic redundancy" went to Segregates website. tried utility, found out I should have use the DOS version but spoke to a helpful tech there Brent. Over the phone I tried different SATA cables, tried the USB ports in the back to the front of the PC IO panel , different Power source, to my "Ultra" cable adapter drive tool, long story short, I will be sent a new one through a warranty replacement, should be here in 3 - 5 days. Now do I still take the MOBO to Gigabyte and have it RMA'd or at least tested? Gigabyte is only 15 minutes from me maybe 20 at most.One more bit of info, might be important, when I have the hard drive (1 TB Seagate Barracuda)plugged in to my PC through the interface cable to the USB, in Computer management/ disc management, only 3.68 GB shows up as unallocated. It is a 1 TB drive.

Last edited by Wilddog on Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

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